Thursday, March 10, 2016

Adoption FAQS

We respond to so many inquires with the same answers, so we thought we'd save you time and our volunteers' time by listing them somewhere.  So here goes:


  1. If the dog or puppy is showing on our website (www.tinylovingcanines.org), they are still available.  Other websites like Petfinder and Adopt-A-Pet do not reload our information as quickly as we do, so we cannot assure you of the same timely information out there on the Internet beyond our website.
  2. If you see our rescue on Petfinder and click their "inquiry" button, you send an email to us and we respond asking you to submit an adoption application (available online https://tinylovingcanines.wufoo.com/forms/z7x3k7/) or to come into the rescue center at 1736 Erringer Road, 2nd Floor, Simi Valley, CA and do it in person.
  3. We are owned, run and operated by volunteers - many who also have full-time jobs as well.  We do our best to answer all emails within 24 hours, and approve any adoption applications within 48 (or advise you otherwise and why).
  4. Once you have been sent in the adoption application and received a return email indicating you have been approved, the approval is valid only for 24 hours.  After that time, we will assume you are no longer interested in the dog or puppy and will discard your information.
  5. Rescue work is very fluid and organic - we can receive and approve numerous adoption applications on the same dog or puppy (and do). Because you have received an approved adoption application email, that does not guarantee you will be adopting them (i.e. the puppy is ONLY approved to be adopted by you) - we do not hold dogs and puppies based upon approved adoption applications.  There are just too many dogs and puppies getting ready to die in shelters and we have only so much space to save their lives.
  6. If you have submitted an adoption application, have been approved and contacted via email of the same, we cannot hold the specific dog or puppy for you unless you are willing to put down a 50% nonrefundable adoption deposit (for exact amounts, please see #9 below).  This can ONLY be done online via PayPal (link is on our website under http://www.tinylovingcanines.org/donate.html) or in person - we no longer accept credit card numbers over the phone as we will not have your signature on the required credit card receipt for our files.
  7. We are not a boarding facility, nor do we have a boarding permit by county ordinances to do this for you.  Once you start the process, please be prepared to see it through to the end and pick up your dog or puppy.
  8. We STRONGLY recommend that you think long, hard and well before considering adopting a dog or puppy.  Puppies especially are expensive the first year of their life.  Most of our rescues have a life-span of 15 to 20 years, so if you are not prepared to take care of them and have them live out their natural life, step back and rethink this idea before adopting.
  9. Our adoption donations are fixed and tax deductible.  This allows us to fund the huge amount of vet costs we incur each year and continue to save the next dog or litter of puppies waiting to die tomorrow (in 2015, our vet bills ran over $100,000 BTW).  Dogs over 5 years or with us for more than 6 months are $200.  Dogs and puppies between 6 months and 5 years are $350.  Puppies under 6 months are $500.
  10. Each dog or puppy will be spayed/neutered and microchipped prior to adoption.  Their shots and vaccines will be up to date (*) at time of adoption.  Each adoption packet includes a complimentary visit with our vet and a 10% off coupon at Theresa's Country Feed within 5 days of adoption. Each adoption packet includes a complimentary free groom at Indiana Bones Temple of Groom - these services require a copy of our adoption agreement to receive.
  11. We do not 'guarantee' the health of any dog or puppy we have saved from the shelters.  We receive very little information beyond they were picked up as a stray or are owner surrendered.  As such, we have little background information to pass onto you - we can only advise you of what we have observed, if we've taken them to the vet and what they were treated for.   Again, once you have adopted, you take on all medical responsibility for any immediate issues or long ranging health issues, so think carefully before adopting under financial constraints and issues.

(*) If over 3 months, dogs and puppies will be vaccinated against rabies.  Adult dogs will have both bordetella (kennel cough) and vaccinated against the core diseases.  If the puppy litter was born with us, they will have three series of puppy vaccines (4 weeks, 6 weeks and 8 weeks).  If not, our vaccination protocols start when they arrive, and you will be advised they do not have the recommended 3 series of puppy vaccines on your adoption contract at time of adoption.  Some vets recommend 4 series - all vets have different opinions as to when and how many - we follow the protocols for shelter medicine established by U.C. Davis.

No comments:

Post a Comment